# Stacking DAO Overview {% hint style="info" %} What is Stacking? **Stacking** is the process of locking STX to participate in the **Stacks consensus mechanism**, helping secure the network and earn rewards. It’s similar to staking ETH on Ethereum. Currently, over 5**00 million STX** are stacked, with an annual yield of **9% or more**.\ You can track live metrics at [www.stacking-tracker.com](https://www.stacking-tracker.com/). {% endhint %} S**tackingDAO is the leading STX stacking infrastructure for the most prominent Bitcoin Layer 2.** Originally launched as a liquid stacking protocol, it quickly became the **largest DeFi platform on Stacks**, playing a central role in bootstrapping ecosystem liquidity. Today, StackingDAO is driving the network forward as the **core hub for STX stacking and DeFi innovation**. Its mission is to empower the entire Stacks ecosystem—from users to builders—by developing the most comprehensive suite of services for stacking and beyond. The team is actively developing new **BTC yield products** through STX stacking—and will expand to **BTC stacking**once dual staking goes live. In parallel, they’re exploring **MEV** and **restaking** solutions to further strengthen the protocol’s utility and impact. ## Differences Between stSTX, stSTXbtc, and Native Stacking?

Features	stSTX	stSTXbtc	Native Stacking
Non-custodial	✅	✅	✅
Immediate Stacking yield	✅	✅	❌
Continuous yield (Earn daily rewards)	✅	✅	❌
Tokenised representation of Stacked STX (liquid staking)	✅	✅	❌
(s)BTC rewards	❌	✅	✅
Auto-compounding yield	✅	❌	❌
STX Rewards	✅	❌	❌

## How does Stacking DAO compare to other Stacking solutions? **Custodial delegated stacking pools.**\ Examples: OKX, Coinbase Custody, BitGo, Copper\ These providers take **full custody of user STX** and offer an **institutional-grade user experience**. However, they do **not provide a tokenised representation** of stacked STX. OKX and Coinbase Custody are currently live. **Community delegated stacking pools.** \ Examples: StackingDAO’s **native stacking pool**, Xverse pool, Friedger pool\ These allow users to stack STX and earn BTC or STX rewards while retaining control of their funds. Like custodial pools, they **don’t offer a tokenised form** of stacked STX. **StackingDAO’s liquid stacking products (stSTX and stSTXbtc)**\ In contrast, StackingDAO provides **liquid staking tokens** that accrue yield and can be used across DeFi—offering flexibility, composability, and full ownership.

	Custodial Pool	Community Pool	stSTX	stSTXbtc	Custodial pools
Non-custodial	❌	✅	✅	✅	fuoisdjhfuoidshfuiohdsuoifhdsuiogfhrsoiufghjuiodsjhgfjsdfjosdnokjfdskjdsgs
Tokenised representation of Stacked STX (stSTX)	❌	❌	✅	✅
Autocompounding STX yield	❌	❌	✅	❌
BTC yield	✅	✅	❌	✅
Immediate Stacking Yield	❌	❌	✅	✅
Continuous yield (Earn daily rewards)	❌	❌	✅	✅

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